Michigan State's Gary Harris shoots against Northwestern at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on Sunday, March 10, 2013. Michigan State won the game, 71-61.J. Scott Park | MLive.com

EAST LANSING -- Michigan State guard Gary Harris battled
shoulder and back injuries throughout his first college season.

They robbed him of his ability to run at full strength for
about three weeks, according to coach Tom Izzo.

And even during Sunday's win against Northwestern, Harris
said his shoulder got "nicked up" once again.

Through it all, he became Big Ten freshman of the year.

"I know I've had some injuries here and there, but I feel
like everything happens for a reason," Harris said. "I couldn't just use that
as an excuse. I just had to fight through those, get healthy."

Harris thanked his teammates for helping him through the
season, and they came away impressed as well. By the vote of his teammates,
Harris, the Spartans' second-leading scorer, was named team MVP at Monday's
banquet.

Roommate and fellow freshman Denzel Valentine said Harris was
one of the most mentally tough teammates he ever had.

"He's gone through a lot," Valentine said. "Playing with
pain every game and just toughening it out and still winning Big Ten freshman
of the year, that's huge."

So when Izzo called Harris to inform him that he'd become
Michigan State's first Big Ten freshman of the year, it was a nice moment for
the Fishers, Ind. native.